Statistics on the most common STDs today

STDs today or sexually transmitted infections as we are now calling it are pretty common amongst youth today. Even though adolescence between ages of 15 and 24 only make up 25% of the population of new sexually transmitted infections that are diagnosed 50% of them are in adolescence and youth. So the most common sexually transmitted infection still remain Chlamydia. It's the number 1 bacterial infection and the number 1 viral sexually transmitted infection is Human Papillomavirus or HPV. There are couple of sexually transmitted infections or STDs that are unfortunately on the rise. One is Herpes, we thought we have seen the peak of Herpes in the 1980s, unfortunately we are starting to see more Herpes amongst adolescence and young adults. We've been diagnosing more and more cases and so that's concerning to us as clinicians. The second infection that's also been on the rise is Syphilis, particularly amongst populations that are at higher risk to contract Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV, such as young men who have sex with men or injection drug using adolescence. And so why we get concerned if we Syphilis on the increase is that Syphilis and HIV tend to travel together. It's also as a marker that if somebody is contracting Syphilis they are not practicing safer sex practices. That is true for all STDs or STIs. However, Syphilis in particular and Herpes are 2 infections that are really associated with the HIV. And if we are seeing those on the increase then we know that HIV is coming right behind.

Diane Tanaka, MD

Adolescent Medicine Physician

Dr. Tanaka is an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics and the medical director of the Homeless Adolescent and Young Adult Wellness Center and the MyVOICE Adolescent Transition Program, both at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Tanaka went to University of California, Davis for medical school and did her residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Tanaka's primary speciality is Adolescent Medicine, and her clinical interests include: menstrual disorders, substance use and abuse, and the treatment of sexually transmitted infections. She currently serves at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and was awarded the Barbara Korsch Medical Education Award at CHLA in 2008 and listed in Castle Connely’s directory of top physicians in 2009.

STDs today or sexually transmitted infections as we are now calling it are pretty common amongst youth today. Even though adolescence between ages of 15 and 24 only make up 25% of the population of new sexually transmitted infections that are diagnosed 50% of them are in adolescence and youth. So the most common sexually transmitted infection still remain Chlamydia. It's the number 1 bacterial infection and the number 1 viral sexually transmitted infection is Human Papillomavirus or HPV. There are couple of sexually transmitted infections or STDs that are unfortunately on the rise. One is Herpes, we thought we have seen the peak of Herpes in the 1980s, unfortunately we are starting to see more Herpes amongst adolescence and young adults. We've been diagnosing more and more cases and so that's concerning to us as clinicians. The second infection that's also been on the rise is Syphilis, particularly amongst populations that are at higher risk to contract Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV, such as young men who have sex with men or injection drug using adolescence. And so why we get concerned if we Syphilis on the increase is that Syphilis and HIV tend to travel together. It's also as a marker that if somebody is contracting Syphilis they are not practicing safer sex practices. That is true for all STDs or STIs. However, Syphilis in particular and Herpes are 2 infections that are really associated with the HIV. And if we are seeing those on the increase then we know that HIV is coming right behind.